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Comment by dkjaudyeqooe | Hacker News Reader

I've worked lying down in a similar fashion for over 10 years.

You really don't need the contraption, just a monitor stand (you can make one out of two bits of wood) or a nearby wall. Also a wireless keyboard (I use the Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard). I used to just use a laptop and when I travel I still do. In both cases I either rest them on my chest or (more often) suspend them in front of me and control them with my fingers and palms.

I'm healthy physically, I just prefer this. I swim, jog, cycle, do weights (I can lift my own body weight (120kgs, 6'1") with my arms vertically and horizontally, pushing and pulling).

The idea you get body sores or other negative effects is ridiculous. You need a good firm surface to look after your back posture, but obviously I'm always moving around, getting up and doing things. I don't wash myself with a rag on a stick.

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When I had a back injury and was laid out for a few days, I used a computer stand similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-RAINBEAN-Portable-Workstat...

The stand was adjustable enough such that with my thin laptop, I was able to angle the stand such that I could type and view the screen comfortably even while lying down, without the laptop falling off the stand. I mostly used the touchpad on the laptop, but I also placed my trackball on the mouse stand which was also angled, although not as steeply due to there being not much of a lip on the mouse stand to keep the trackball from sliding off. It's annoying to have to move the laptop stand to the side whenever I get out of bed, but for a short term solution it worked out well.

Those are very versatile bits of kit. I use them in bed, but also if you travel and you carry an external travel monitor with you, you can essentially use it as a monitor mount to raise the monitor to a more comfortable eye height.

I did the same exact thing. Worked great.

You also have the monitor set up so that it's hanging over you somewhat? When you rest the laptop on your chest, do you use the laptop display? Isn't that a weird position to type? What do you mean suspend the keyboard in front of you?

haha, you kinda made it sound like your setup was super minimalist, but none of your descriptions are making sense in my mind

The comment was necessarily brief but I'm happy to expand on it.

Basically the screen is set up so it's at about 45 degrees facing downward. It is indeed hanging above me so it's easy to get in and out from under it. With my head on the pillow(s) it's about perpendicular to where my stare falls naturally. I use a 40" 4K screen (for the optimal pixel size for a Mac) in portrait mode.

With the laptop I open it as far as it goes (almost flat), sit the bottom edge on my person and then tilt the screen forward a little so it's in the roughly the same angle as the big screen would be. I keep it in position using the pinky and thumb of one or both hands and use the remaining fingers to type from each side.

When I'm using a keyboard I'll hold it above my chest on one side between my pinky and my palm, holding the bottom up with my thumb and support it on the other side with my thumb roughly half way or so. I use the remaining fingers to type.

If it sounds weird it is, but I didn't plan any of it, it just evolved that way and ended being the most comfortable way for the given equipment. I had to watch myself typing on the keyboard just now to figure out what I was doing. I don't touch type and I have to look at the keyboard.

When I'm just using the touchpad for extended periods (when reading or watching videos) I just rest the keyboard on my stomach or the bed, since that takes the least effort.

It is super minimalist, by design. Right now it's just a screen arm (bolted to the wall), keyboard and computer. About the same as you'd find on an office desk.

Actually it's called the Microsoft All-in-One Media Keyboard

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/accessories/products/keyboar...

You jog at 120 kgs?

Yup. I'm a big strong guy, I used to run when I was over 130kgs. It's totally fine, I've never had even a minor injury (cycling is a different matter). If my knees ever give me trouble it's when I haven't been running for a while.

Running is so natural for humans. I used to run "barefoot" (no runners or padded shoes) on rocky roads in the dark. I never got wrongfooted, your body just adjusts. It's amazing how your body can adapt to the environment.

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